Road Trip

There are few things that are wonderful from beginning to end. A road trip is one of those things.  It starts with going through the express lane in the airport and being upgraded to first class.  It’s the quick walk through a non-busy airport to a nice auto with a sunroof. The feel of the cool 72 degree air and the sun beaming down from the clear blue cloudless sky.

A time for thinking of nothing and everything. A time for being.

Sitting by the ocean, meditating to the soft music and feeling the possibilities of life open before you. The sense that for this brief wonderful warm moment everything is perfect.

Pacific OceanIt is with the rhythmic surf and the call of seagulls,the distant lifeguard whistle that I find that all is as it should be. I am happy, I am learning to return to my roots, my desires, and my dreams. I had thought I was forever lost in a sense of physical and mental fog, things were just there beyond my reach.

A couple weeks backs a small slight change made all the difference. This difference led me to change an existing routine to include a small road trip. You could say I took the scenic route to the office. Everything was beautiful and lined up in better ways than I could imagine. I followed the surf side road to the Pacific Ocean, stopping briefly in a small town to pick up local fare at a cafe tucked in amongst dark wood beam shops and a active farmers market.

There was no schedule, no time table, no one waiting for me. It was time to read and write whatever came to mind. When my imagination could think no more and my body craved the sun cool breeze, I packed up my few belongings and headed further south and west. The Pacific ocean came into view just over a small hill and I followed the parallel road north. It didn’t take long to find a public access where I could sit and watch the waves.  I walked along a bit until I found the perfect set of rocks that bordered the cool damp sand where I could meditate.

It was my first outdoor meditation and it was beautiful. Soft music playing, rolling waves, sun and ocean breeze, a perfect combination for relaxation.

Everything seemed brighter, calmer, and happier when I opened my eyes and I continued to linger watching the boats and surfers in the water. I embraced this feeling and tucked it away to remember during the long week ahead. I wanted to keep this new found sense of peace and calmness that had eluded me for so long.Pelican

I decided on a whim to follow the shore line north and made a small trip into Hollywood — see that is the best thing about road trips with no deadline or true itinerary. You get to make it up and go where ever your desire takes you. I wanted to make one last stop before heading to the hotel.

Hollywood, was a perfect midpoint stop. I swung through the hills to a cache location that sounded nice. (http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC3WF8B_hollywoods-tb-hotel?guid=831f7893-7d02-4c7d-9698-592d93061abd)

The little hut that sat there boasted of long ago artists that lived in the gated section beyond. I stood and took in the view and the odd shaped too close houses. I wonder what it was like for the artists back then. Did they enjoy what they did? Were they appreciated for their talent? Did they like living in these small homes built in the hills of Hollywood?

I drove slowly out of the hills as my impromptu road trip came to an end. I still ponder the little houses tucked away in the hills of Hollywood. It makes me smile and wonder: where, when will the next road trip be.

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